Some years ago mobile network operators were launching new, higher bandwidth broadband services claimed to be “4G” but that did not meet the official definition of 4G. The industry now looks set for a repeat of this as 5G gathers momentum
Market research firm Ovum is forecasting 24 million 5G subscriptions worldwide by the end of 2021 but says: “A number of operators have announced plans to launch what they describe as 5G services before 2020, but these will not typically be based on networks and devices complying with 5G standards, and so are excluded from Ovum’s forecasts.”
Ovum estimates that genuine 5G services should be available in more than 20 markets worldwide by end 2021.
The vast majority will be in the US, Japan, China and South Korea, where major operators have revealed aggressive timelines for launching 5G services. – Stuart Corner
